Originally posted by Aquabird:My son, who works for UPS told me that he thought that Fed Ex sells routes to people who run them as they would their own business.

He said he read where some people buy multiple routes or districts and hire people to run them or at least drive for them.

I believe this to be true, based on conversations with my old FedEx driver. He told me he "purchased" his route. Nice enough guy, but man was he chatty.

For example, I know he makes ~$40k per year, he used to be a housing developer until the market went belly up in 2008... Dude, I don't care, just give me my package and be on your way. I was joking about him to my neighbor, and my neighbor said he told him the exact same thing!

FedEx Ground, formerly known as RPS (Roadway Package System) until FedEx bought them, is separate from FedEx Express. Different trucks, drivers, and routes. FedEx Ground routes are auctioned off and the buyers are treated as indepenent contractors by FedEx. They people that buy the routes, buy their own trucks, insurance, etc.

I have never had a problem with Fed Ex Air. Ground is another matter. Sig used FedEx to send some parts to me last week. Usually it is two days from NH. It was a week this time because they transferred it to USPS for some reason. The tracking stuff was weird and the delivery date kept getting pushed back. I hope this is not a trend.

Fedex annoys the hell out of me. I've had the same driver for at least 10 years, and I can't seem to get him to understand what I want/need him to do or not do. It's not all that hard! I sleep in the daytime. When he has a package that doesn't need a sig, leave it on the porch, and leave. DO NOT KNOCK ON THE DOOR! If he needs a sig, then DO KNOCK ON THE DOOR. Is this all that confusing? I have a sign telling them this on the door, but it doesn't seem to get through his thick skull. Every time I get a delivery, he bangs on the door. If it's something he can leave, he takes off, if not, he stands there. If I need to sign, I don't mind being woke up, but when I don't, don't bang on the door! I don't understand why he keeps doing it! I complained about it a couple of times, but it did nothing.

Originally posted by BurtonRW:FWIW, I ordered a piece of flat-pack furniture through Amazon. Shipping weight in excess of 70 lbs.

UPS managed to lose it after it had been scanned in at my local shipping hub, only about 15 miles away.

-Rob

Any by lose, you mean they put it on craigs list of course.

__________________________The entire reason for the Second Amendment is not for hunting, it’s not for target shooting … it’s there so that you and I can protect our homes and our children and and our families and our lives. And it’s also there as fundamental check on government tyranny. Sen Ted Cruz

Long before I found the local UPS Hub was better and then a local FFL (even better since he can ship via USPS), I went to ship a pistol I sold here, a Kahr MK9 IIRC, at FedEx. I followed every rule to the "t" and packaged the gun securely.

When asked what I was shipping by the counter lady, I replied "it's a firearm", she freaks out and asks me if it's loaded! I tell her no, then she tries to tell me I'm not allowed to ship guns, at this point I tell her to get her supervisor who comes out and listens to my explanation about following all the rules and how I needed it shipped a certain way he basically asked her what was the problem.

That was the first and LAST time I used them, as they charged me around 80 bucks.

I really get the impression that they don't even know or understand their own regulations.

FedEx has been my only carrier because I need to be able to track overnight letters. A month ago I scheduled a pickup and the driver didn't come. I scheduled another pickup and the driver came and then complained because there was only one letter to pick up rather than two!

I went to UPS briefly and have now transitioned to the United States Postal Service. You're right, FedEx is weirder than USPS.

I hate that when a package goes into a black hole on the tracking site. Sometimes it gets delivered before the tracking site gets updated.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:That was the first and LAST time I used them, as they charged me around 80 bucks.

What's the least expensive way to ship a handgun now? I used the same LGS for 25 years, but he retired and closed. The local shops want around $75 to run one through their books and ship USPS.Last one I took to UPS ran $80 for overnight, so what's a guy to do?

Originally posted by PASig:Long before I found the local UPS Hub was better and then a local FFL (even better since he can ship via USPS), I went to ship a pistol I sold here, a Kahr MK9 IIRC, at FedEx. I followed every rule to the "t" and packaged the gun securely.

When asked what I was shipping by the counter lady, I replied "it's a firearm", she freaks out and asks me if it's loaded! I tell her no, then she tries to tell me I'm not allowed to ship guns, at this point I tell her to get her supervisor who comes out and listens to my explanation about following all the rules and how I needed it shipped a certain way he basically asked her what was the problem.

That was the first and LAST time I used them, as they charged me around 80 bucks.

I really get the impression that they don't even know or understand their own regulations.

My boss tried to mail a couple of guns to Bruce Gray this week with UPS. They first said they can't do it, then got multiple people involved, after much discussion they then made up on the spot some bullshit rule that they needed a copy of Bruce's FFL to ship to him.